The Minister of the Board of Personnel and the Grand Scholar were almost intimidated by the aura emanating from Xin Zizhao. However, they gritted their teeth and bravely put forward their opinions to Xin Zizhao on behalf of most of the ministers.
"Your Majesty, I've come here with Grand Scholar Jin this time, bringing the petition from all the ministers. We sincerely hope Your Majesty can accept their suggestions."
"Petition? What kind of petition?" Xin Zizhao least wanted to hear was these stubborn ministers asking him to divorce Wei Shuxuan, then hold a beauty pageant to select a new empress.
"Your Majesty, the ministers hope that Your Majesty can depose the empress who has disappeared since the wedding. Then select a suitable candidate for the position of empress from the beauty pageant. We earnestly hope Your Majesty can take our advice seriously!"
Just as Xin Zizhao had expected, they really came to ask him to depose Wei Shuxuan. His Xuan'er was on her way back. How could he possibly depose her?
He opened the so - called petition on his desk. First, it described what would happen if there was no empress in the Royal Dragon Kingdom for a day and the related harms. Then it pleaded with him to issue an edict to depose Wei Shuxuan and hold a beauty pageant to crown a new empress. At the end of the petition were the signatures of various ministers.
Seeing Xin Zizhao finally open the petition, the Minister of the Board of Personnel and the Grand Scholar couldn't help showing delighted expressions. But such expressions didn't last long. After Xin Zizhao glanced at it for a few times, he picked up the petition and threw it on the ground fiercely. "Take it back for me! Do you think you can make me change my mind just by submitting a petition?"
"Your Majesty!" The Minister of the Board of Personnel and the Grand Scholar stared at the petition on the ground in astonishment.
"I just got married not long ago. Do you want me to announce to the whole country that I'm going to depose the empress, then recruit beautiful women nationwide for a beauty pageant and crown a new empress? What will the people of the Royal Dragon Kingdom think of me? A heartless man who is greedy for beauty and abandons his wife? I don't know what's on your minds! Humph!"
Xin Zizhao was extremely angry. He stood up and stared at them coldly. "Don't think that just because you were old officials in Father's time, I dare not do anything to you. As long as you challenge my authority, you will be dismissed from your posts and your whole families will be exiled to the border! Don't think that I'm young and easy to bully."
The Minister of the Board of Personnel gritted his teeth and still said to Xin Zizhao, "I don't mean that, Your Majesty. I just hope that as the king of a country, Your Majesty should take it as your responsibility to continue the royal lineage. The beauty pageant will be held sooner or later. There are many naturally beautiful or talented women in the folk waiting for Your Majesty's favor!"
"Presumptuous!" Xin Zizhao slapped the desk violently. "Minister Zhang, don't think I don't know your intention! You just want to send your own daughter into the palace. And Grand Scholar Jin, you have the same thought as Minister Zhang! I can see through your little tricks at a glance. In a word, don't play your tricks on me. I just want to govern the country well for now. I have no intention of holding a beauty pageant for the time being, let alone deposing the empress!"
"...... Your Majesty!" When Minister Zhang was about to say something, Grand Scholar Jin grabbed his arm. Turning his head, he saw Grand Scholar Jin shaking his head at him.
"Please leave, two ministers. I'm a bit tired," Xin Zizhao sat down and motioned them to leave the imperial study quickly. Before Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin could leave the imperial study, they heard Xin Zizhao's voice. "If there's a next time, don't blame me for being ruthless. Tell those ministers who were involved to mind their own business."
"..... Yes, Your Majesty."
Although they were very reluctant, Minister Zhang and Grand Scholar Jin still replied in a low voice. It was unknown whether they had given up the idea of deposing the empress.
Finally, Xin Zizhao managed to send away those two annoying ministers. He slumped into the chair tiredly. Really, those two had spoiled all his good mood. They must not be convinced by him. Otherwise, why would they pick on him again and again? It seemed that he had to find a way to weaken their power. Otherwise, they would surely act recklessly in the palace relying on their official positions and seniority.
After finally calming himself down, Xin Zizhao opened the letter from Wei Shuxuan. "Xin Zizhao, I've arrived at Quan'an Town. Do you still remember what happened to us in Quan'an Town? It always seems that not much time has passed. When I was strolling in Quan'an Town, I sometimes remembered the scenes when we were together. However, it seems that we didn't have many good memories there. I'll be back soon. Will you still wait for me?"
This silly girl. I've waited for you for so long. A few more days won't matter, right? Xin Zizhao carefully folded Wei Shuxuan's letter into a regular square and put it into the black - based box with red patterns in the drawer.
"By the way, have we left Quan'an Town?" Wei Shuxuan asked Sima Yongheng.
"Sorry, Sister Xuan. I don't know the way either. You'd better ask Brother Wei and Brother Xin Shang."
Wei Shuxuan was a bit helpless. She had to shout to Wei Wei outside the carriage, "Wei Wei, have we left Quan'an Town? How long will it take us to reach Baiyang Town?"
"Miss, we haven't left Quan'an Town yet. We're still in the suburbs. We have to pass through a big forest before we can really leave Quan'an Town. And," Wei Wei paused for a while, "we definitely can't reach Baiyang Town tonight. So, we have to camp in the wild."
"Isn't there a post - station nearby?" Wei Shuxuan didn't want to camp in the wild at all. There were so many mosquitoes in the wild. It was so scary.
"There's a post - station halfway between Quan'an Town and Baiyang Town, but it's quite far. If we can't get there before dark, we'll have to camp outside. Can you accept this, Miss Xuan?"
"...... I see. Then I'll have to trouble you two to hurry up. If you can't get to that post - station before dark, you'll have to sleep outside!"
"Yes, (Miss) Xuan!"
As soon as Wei Shuxuan's voice fell, Xin Shang whipped the horses to go faster. The three horses pulling the carriage suddenly ran, scaring Wei Shuxuan and Sima Yongheng in the carriage so much that they almost fell to the ground.
"You two! Can't you be more gentle! You almost killed me!" Wei Shuxuan's fierce voice came from the carriage.
"We'll be more careful."